Yuan's Ascension

Chapter 737: An Undivinable Existence (2)

The situation is dire. The sword array is too quick. I can try to deploy a Time domain, but my current power output is already high, and trying to influence the sword array would be extremely taxing. Wu Yuan’s mind raced as he fled at breakneck speed.

Time techniques were not invincible. They worked well against ordinary Archimmortals, but against late-stage Astral Lords, attempting to interfere was far too difficult.

If his qi refiner self were here, deploying a Spacetime domain would naturally allow him to make an easy escape. But this was his body refiner self.

A head-on clash? It’s a guaranteed defeat. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly, a glint of madness in his eyes. I can only make a desperate gamble.

At this point, escaping unscathed was no longer possible.

“Fellow Daoist, halt immediately. If this truly is a misunderstanding, I will naturally let you go and offer my apologies," Astral Lord Bai Hai's voice resonated in Wu Yuan's mind once more. "If you continue to struggle, I truly fear I might accidentally kill you."

His words were met with silence.

Wu Yuan didn’t slow in the slightest as he continued his frantic escape.

Just as the sword array was about to descend, Wu Yuan's icy voice suddenly rang out, "Bai Hai, you're forcing my hand."

Whoosh! Whoosh! The frantically fleeing Wu Yuan suddenly split in two again, and over ten lifelike phantoms materialized among the torrent of spatial fragments.

It was utterly bizarre. Each lifelike phantom frantically fled in all directions, their auras all seemingly authentic, making it impossible to distinguish the real from the fake.

Hmm? What evasion technique is this? Even I can't tell them apart? Astral Lord Bai Hai grew increasingly astonished. Wu Yuan's life-preserving methods seemed endless.

Ordinary illusory clone techniques couldn't stump Astral Lord Bai Hai; usually, he could instantly identify the true body with his heavenly eye arcane art.

Disperse! With a thought, Astral Lord Bai Hai's unified sword array instantly scattered, reforming into nine flying swords that shot out in all directions, pursuing and attacking each lifelike phantom.

Swoosh~ Swoosh~ Space rippled as several phantoms dissipated under the onslaught of celestial swords, finally revealing Wu Yuan's true figure.

There he is! Kill! Astral Lord Bai Hai's gaze turned piercing cold. With a thought, the massive sword array swiftly converged to pursue Wu Yuan's true body, completely enveloping that section of heaven and earth.

The two clashed.

Clang! Clang! Saber and sword collided as Wu Yuan unleashed his full power. Nine battle sabers howled, desperately fending off the sword array's attacks, only to be knocked back time and again.

In the blink of an eye, the two had clashed over a hundred times. Each exchange wounded Wu Yuan, his vital aura rapidly diminishing.

While they fought, several lifelike phantoms continued to flee, escaping far beyond the sword array's range.

"Surrender now," Astral Lord Bai Hai swiftly closed in, sending forth two black celestial chains with a wave. They transformed into two black jiaolongs, once again charging toward Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan was already struggling bitterly; if the celestial chains reached him, he might be captured immediately.

"Want to trap me? Dream on!" Wu Yuan roared in fury, suddenly bellowing, "Detonate!"

Astral Lord Bai Hai was taken aback.

His ether nearly depleted, Wu Yuan’s ether body ordered the remaining vital ether within his flesh and blood to detonate.

Self-detonation! A desperate final attack made at the cost of one's life, burning vital ether to unleash immense power.

Boom~ This seemingly terrifying tsunami of energy instantly crashed in all directions, yet it could barely shake the massive sword array encompassing a thousand li, let alone threaten Astral Lord Bai Hai. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Self-detonation differed from normal attacks; it didn't apply one’s Dao comprehension, so its power stemmed solely from one's mana or ether.

Wu Yuan was merely at the Earth Deity phase, so his self-detonation was merely to avoid capture. Once captured, his life or death would no longer be in his own hands, and even self-detonation would be difficult.

Moreover, Wu Yuan always remembered Astral Monarch Wan Lei's fate—it was because his ether body was captured that his true self ultimately perished.

Hmm? Something's not right! Astral Lord Bai Hai suddenly realized, turning to look into the distance.

Among the turbulent fragments, several lifelike phantoms continued to flee. By now, they were two hundred thousand li away, leaving him far behind.

Whoosh! Those phantoms instantly merged into one, reforming Wu Yuan's figure, though his face was slightly pale.

"Fellow Daoist, you're truly ruthless! You'd rather abandon your ether body than talk? Do you truly bear such a grudge against me, fearing I'd kill you?" Astral Lord Bai Hai's voice transmitted from afar.

"Talk my ass! Bai Hai, you've pushed me this far today," Wu Yuan's voice was cold as it echoed. "Just wait, I'll return to kill you someday. "

"Very well, I'll be waiting for your esteemed presence," Astral Lord Bai Hai responded calmly.

He paid no heed to Wu Yuan's threats, having heard plenty of similar ones before.

He stopped his pursuit; in terms of flight speed within the Fragmentary Spatial Layer, he was far inferior to Wu Yuan. He merely waved his hand to collect the numerous treasures left behind by Wu Yuan's ether body.

He watched as Wu Yuan vanished into the torrent of spatial fragments.

This fellow is truly decisive. Astral Lord Bai Hai shook his head slightly.

He hadn't had much choice either. When Wu Yuan split into over ten lifelike phantoms, his sword array, though powerful, could not pursue all of the lifelike phantoms.

From the moment Wu Yuan chose to separate his ether body and true self, it was a gamble.

If Astral Lord Bai Hai had pursued his true self, then Wu Yuan would have had to reveal the profundities of Time True Intent and fight with all his might, trying his best to escape.

But the result was that Astral Lord Bai Hai ultimately pursued his ether body. Thus Wu Yuan seized the opportunity to abandon his ether body and escape right away.

Such a monstrous prodigy should logically be renowned throughout the immortal world, yet I've never heard of him. Astral Lord Bai Hai mused. Where did he come from?

Suddenly, a flicker of confusion crossed his features. The Astral Monarch is coming to investigate this matter personally? He'll be here in just a quarter hour?

The Spacetime boundary of an immortal nation spanned tens of millions of light-years. To facilitate better management of their territory, various factions would establish high-grade teleportation arrays on immortal continents, allowing cultivators to travel through the Vacuum Spatial Layer.

Traversing the Vacuum Spatial Layer across a macrocosm with a diameter of ten billion light-years often took only a few days.

The Astral Monarch, who was taking the highest-grade teleportation array, could arrive from his stronghold in a quarter hour, which wasn't long considering they were within the same immortal nation.

The time he took to arrive didn't surprise Astral Lord Bai Hai. What surprised him was the Astral Monarch’s decision to make a trip here at first notice.

After all, the Astral Monarch commanded numerous powerful subordinates. Although he had reported the situation promptly, the Astral Monarch wouldn't necessarily respond immediately.

Astral Lord Bai Hai waited patiently.

...

In the chaotic Fragmentary Spatial Layer, Wu Yuan sped forward at a hundred thousand li per second. This was the limit of his body refiner self's speed in the Fragmentary Spatial Layer.

As he fled, he also pondered over the earlier battle. As expected of a ninth-stage Archimmortal. Truly formidable. I still underestimated him. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

Wu Yuan’s direct attacks barely reached the seventh-stage Archimmortal-level. And in terms of endurance, physical defense, and so on, he was inferior to experts of that phase, his techniques severely lacking in power.

Astral Lord Bai Hai’s soul illusion arts, soul extinguishing techniques, ranged binding technique, flying sword techniques, and various other methods, were all at the peak of the ninth-stage Archimmortal level!

When the two engaged in battle, Wu Yuan was naturally overwhelmed.

If it were Wu Yuan's qi refiner self, his direct combat power would be even weaker than his body refiner self, but relying on the special nature of the Spacetime Dao, he could easily escape. Different Daos excelled in different aspects.

In terms of Dao comprehension, I far surpass him, but I'm still at a disadvantage in base power. Wu Yuan thought to himself.

The same applied Dao techniques, when executed by those with different foundations, naturally produced vastly different levels of power.

It’s time to return to the Cang Feng Eldritch World. Before becoming a High Deity and grasping part two of ‘Creation Saint Prohibition’, no more expeditions for me. Wu Yuan muttered to himself.

Once he grasped part two of the Creation Saint Prohibition, he could unleash ether at the level of a third-stage Archimmortal, naturally leading Wu Yuan's combat power to skyrocket.

“Master, when you’ve created a new ether body, let me join you on adventures like this. Don't leave me cooped up at home with your true self.” Little Black's voice echoed in Wu Yuan's mind.

"Of course," Wu Yuan responded with a smile.

Starting from the Shambhala phase, if a lifebound eldritch beast perished, it could be revived within the internal shambhala. In a sense, a lifebound eldritch beast was another type of ether body.

Therefore, body refiners of the eldritch lineage often carried their lifebound eldritch beasts in their ether bodies when roaming through the realms.

Though I exposed my comprehension of Space True Intent, I didn't reveal my understanding of Time True Intent. Wu Yuan thought to himself. Even if the Greenridge Immortal World discovers my true identity in the future, the impact won't be too great.

Wu Yuan wasn't too concerned. Exposure was inevitable; as long as he wasn't fully exposed before becoming a High Deity, it was fine.

Apart from the Voltari Temple, other major factions generally wouldn't request their Sovereigns to intervene.

Hum~ A Time domain appeared around Wu Yuan. and the flow of time began to change. His speed remained the same, but the distance covered increased exponentially.

He swiftly vanished into the distance.